I have always been attracted to nature and arts and crafts and therefore fly fishing and fly tying were satisfying both my passions.  In the past 30 years I have fished many rivers in Italy, Europe and USA stalking mainly trout and grayling, with some black bass fishing for a change.  I like to entice fish with dries, nymphs and streamers according to the conditions, although I have to admit that dry fly fishing on slow currents and sight nymphing are my favourites.
 
When I began fly tying many years back, it was for the need of fishing flies only, mainly to refill my boxes and to study new patterns.  After thousands of flies I started to get attracted by new challenges such as realistic flies and a few years ago, the unique world of salmon flies.  These flies are a chance for me to be artistic and to practise the craft at the same time; a combination of rules, precision, extreme thread control and design.  Although I like to design some new dressings I still prefer the classics, the flies designed in the past that became part of our history and a heritage of people like Kelson, Hale, Tannatt and many others.  

I was born in 1964 in one of the loveliest towns of Italy, Bologna, located between the Apennine Mountains and the Padana Valley.  

Among the many hobbies that were catching my interest, fishing was surely the one that played an important role in my life.  When I was still a small kid I spent all my spare time fishing in ponds and small rivers for coarse fish and carp.  Then at the age of 14 I started this lovely journey with a fly fishing rod, discovering a little later the art of fly tying.  

Researching materials, feathers (real stuff or substitutes), hooks and antique stuff is a hobby within the hobby.  I also make my own gut (raising silkworms)reshape my hooks and frame the flies.  Nowadays I am concentrating mostly on these salmon flies for collectors although I also tie and sell fishing flies.
 
Whenever it is possible I write for some fishing magazines and participate as guest tyer to fly fishing shows abroad and in Italy to promote the salmon fly tying art.  This current year has been so productive and two are events that make me feel very proud; in June 2008 I was asked to tie a representative salmon fly for the 2008 European Bamboo Rod Gathering.  Its name is Salmo Amabilis and a picture can be seen on the pages of this site.  Then, Mr. Steve Thornton gave me the unique chance to be featured in his Volume 2 of the “Flytyers of the World”.  Not enough words to express my joy.

Of course all the above takes just the smallest part of my life.  The big share of my time is well used for my family, my wife Federica, son Riccardo, daughter Matilde and our dog Scott (you guess why he is called Scott).  I haven’t been lucky enough yet to make my hobby my job and therefore I am still travelling around the world for my business.  This takes a lot of time away from family and fishing but that’s my job and at least it gives me the chance to meet so many friends in many countries around the world.
 
I wish to thank my friend Mick for giving me the chance to be part of this lovely family at Kossiedun.  I hope one day to have the chance to visit your beautiful country and also try to catch some wild, brown Australian trout.

My flies can be viewed on the website, www.artisticflies.com and I would be happy to be contacted at acalzolari@artisticflies.com for any kind of request.
Ciao,
Alberto